The morning Service on Holy Saturday in Alexandria had a “Scent of Africa”. On the 18th April 2020, Hs Beatitude Theodoros II, Pope and Patriarch of Alexandria and All Africa, chanted “Arise O God”, under the deafening sounds of the African drums beaten by African students in the Church of St Savvas in Alexandria, exactly as it is done in the Missions.
From within the empty Sacred Church, which was filled with the sounds of Africa, the Alexandrian Primate showed how important the traditions of the local Metropolises of the Second Throne Patriarchate are, which highlight the message of the Resurrection with the beating of the drums.
Next to the Alexandrian Primate was Bishop Germanos of Tamiathus and the Elder Sacristan Fr. Pavlos Iosifides, with the choir of the African Students singing the hymns of Holy Saturday.
Patriarch Theodoros gave the message of the Resurrection in the empty majestic Church of the Annunciation of the Theotokos in Alexandria, when he served the resurrectional liturgy for the first time with only 2 priests and the church staff.
“Filled with love, our hearts exclaim Christ is Risen from the dead”, the Alexandrian Primate emphasized, accompanied by Metropolitan Narcissus of Naucratis and the Chief Secretary of the Holy Synod Fr. Nicodemus Totkas.
“May my pray be with all Greeks Cypriots, Egyptians and brothers from Egypt”, stressed Patriarch Theodoros, completing the service late on the night of Holy Saturday, not forgetting to point out that “people were with us in mind, this evening, in this great joy which came to our hearts. Christ is Risen!”
